Portland is trying to fill cities' needs for affordable public toilets with its Portland Loo.

“We can ship them to somebody for $99,000 and all they have to do is bolt them onto their sidewalk and hook them up to sewer and water,” said City Commissioner Randy Leonard, who originated the idea for the loo after Portland had its own publicized failure with public bathrooms.

The solar-powered Portland Loo costs about $60,000 to manufacture, and the annual maintenance is $12,000 apiece. The drab, durable structures stand 10 feet tall and have open slots that expose a standing person’s head and feet, allowing police to check for lawbreakers. The metallic-gray finish is resistant to graffiti. A tiny faucet for hand washing is outside. A worker cleans the loos twice a day.